More than you ever wanted to know

This is a fun tag I saw on a fellow pregnant mommy's blog. (Thanks for helping me pass the morning, Colleen.) Probably TMI for some people, but lots of fun for others. Consider yourself warned! :)


1.Were your pregnancies planned?
Z: Planned, prayed for, cried over, waited for, etc., etc. for 2 1/2 years. Required more fertility assistance than I care to remember.
T: 14 months of the above. Completely gave up for 5 months. I trained for a marathon and got pregnant the week of the race. Couldn't figure out why I was barfing for a month. Ta-da!
G: Started trying when T was 9 months old. Lots of medical drama, two failed pregnancies. Gave up. Went on vacation. Started barfing. Wahoo!
4: Total shocker. Gavin was 9 months old. I was taking the mini-pill. Couldn't figure out why I was falling asleep at 7 p.m. Had an "aha" moment, then a "you've got to be kidding" month. Given our history, considered it a miracle.

2. How long were you married at the time of birth?
Z: 3 years, 4 months
T: 5 years, 8 months
G: 9 years, 5 months
4: Just shy of 11 years

3. What were your reactions?
Thrilled. Surprised. Grateful. And nervous. Always very nervous.

4. How did your spouse react?
Garry has always been great. Could have knocked him over with a feather the last two times, though.

5. How old were you?
Z: 22 1/2
T: almost 25
G: 28 1/2
4: probably just over 30 (if she hangs out a few more weeks)

6. How did you find out you were pregnant?
Pregnancy tests at home, always followed by laboratory blood tests monitoring my HCG levels for a few weeks.

7. Who did you tell first?
Garry, of course, and then my mom. Although this time my bishop knew before my mom did...I'd just been given a giant calling and was freaking out.

8. Did you want to find out the gender?
Absolutely. So glad my kiddos have cooperated.

9. Due Date?
Z: 10/24/01 - born 10/19/01
T: 2/27/04 - born 2/13/04
G: 12/13/07 - born 11/30/07
4: 5/25/09 - born ? but hopefully in May

10. Did you have morning sickness?
Z: Puked every morning, but just the one time, for for four months. Was working full-time and slept on the floor in my office during breaks. Thought I felt like death warmed over...little did I know.
T: Threw up so much I lost 10-15 pounds the first trimester. Zofran helped by 16 weeks but I had wicked reflux from all the puke. Felt crummy until about 24 weeks.
G: Even sicker, even with Zofran. Had bad side effects from the medicine, had to get IV fluids once. Had a beautiful third trimester, though.
4: Hardest pregnancy, hands down, but managed a little better with strategic use of meds. Still taking Zofran almost every day.

11. What did you crave?
Not a huge craver. Had more aversions than cravings. With T&G, couldn't do dairy or peanut butter or meat for months. I love my sugar fixes, but I don' think those are pregnancy-related.

12. What irritated you the most?
Smells, bed covers, noise, heat.

13. What was the child’s sex?
Boy, boy, boy, girl!

14. Did you wish that you had the opposite sex of what you were getting?
No, but we were very surprised that T&G were not girls...we just had a feeling with those two.

15. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy?
Can't believe I'm admitting to this...
Z: 40 (lost it)
T: 40 (lost it)
G: 40 (lost all but 10)
4: 36 so far, with way too long to go!

16. Did you have a baby shower?
Z: Yes, at my in-laws' house in Nevada. It was unbelievable.
T: Nope.
G: Despite my vehement protests about having a third-boy shower, my friends threw a perfectly lovely "girls night get-together" on what turned out to be the night before Gavin was born.
4: Yes, two! One in Beaverton and one in Colorado Springs. I have awesome friends.

17. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy?
Z: None. It was a miracle pregnancy.
T: None after the morning sickness.
G: Concerns about a vericose vein and preeclampsia. Turned out fine.
4: Same as G, plus threat of early delivery, but so far, so good.

18. Where did you give birth?
Z: Orem Community Hospital; Orem, Utah.
T: Tuality Community Hospital; Hillsboro, Oregon.
G: St. Vincent Medical Center; Portland, Oregon.
4: Memorial North Hospital; Colorado Springs, CO (that's the plan, anyway).

19. How many hours were you in labor?
Z: Water broke at 1 a.m., labor started at 2 a.m., Z was born at 7:52 a.m.
T: Labor induced because I was freaked about Garry working an hour away. Pitocin started at 10:00 a.m., T was born at 1:00 p.m.
G: Not sure...went to the hospital on a hunch at midnight, was dilated to 7 cm. I was admitted, no questions asked. Contractions started around 1:00, G was born at 4:43 a.m.
4: Hoping for fast and "easy"... :)

20. Who drove you to the hospital?
Garry, every time. The drive with Zach was freaky, intense, and FAST. I wasn't in labor the other times!

21. Who watched you give birth?
Z: Garry, a veteran nurse, and a newbie nurse. The doctor who helped us conceive missed the delivery!
T: Garry, Dr. Flemmer, and nurses.
G: Garry, Dr. Joe On-Call, and nurses.
4: The plan: Garry, Dr. Christenson, and nurses.

22. Was your baby delivered the regular way or by c-section?
The regular way. Hopin' for 4/4.

23. Did you take medicine to ease the pain?
Z: Begged for an epidural upon arrival (at 5 cm), hospital had lost my pre-registration paperwork. Went from 5-10 while Garry filled it out and got the epidural. Glad I had it; pushed for 2 hours.
T: Got the epidural before the pitocin. Didn't feel a thing...for eight hours.
G: Got a light epidural before real labor started. It was perfect.
4: The plan is to repeat scenario G.

24. How much did the baby weigh?
Z: 7 lbs 15 oz
T: 7 lbs 12 oz
G: 8 lbs 11 oz
4: ? current estimated weight: 4.5-5 lbs

25. What did you name your children?
Zachary Todd
Tyler James
Gavin Drew
Big Fat Question Mark

26. How old are your children today?
Z: 7 years, 6 months
T: 5 years, 2 months
G: 1 year, almost 5 months :)
4: 34 weeks, 2 days